Amarillo Sky
by Memories Left Abandoned
Summary: 16yearold Alex Karev has never gotten along with his father.


Amarillo Sky

A/N: Hello again! This one's Alex-centric, I noticed not many people do those. And I never really mention this during the story (it didn't fit) but after Alex works in the morning he goes to school. Also, in the original lyrics it's '83, but for the purposes I'm changing it to '93. Also ignore the "let my children grow" part. Alex doesn't have kids, I promise. This story is reflecting back to '96, and Alex is sixteen. ON TO THE STORY!

A small ray of sun shone down into Alex Karev's room. The 16-year-old looked at his clock in alarm as he realized he was late. He jumped out of his bed and into his clothes. He then crept out of his Iowan home and into the barn across the cornfields.

He gets up before the dawn  
Packs a lunch and a thermos full of coffee  
It's another day in the dusty haze  
Those burnin' rays are wearing down his body

"You're late," his father's deep voice came.

"I know!" Alex had never gotten along with his father, nevermind the fact that he beat Alex's mother.

"Dreaming about you stupid scalpels again?" his father asked, taunting him.

It took all of Alex's self-control to keep from ripping his father apart. It usually did.

"I'm sorry, I overslept," he said, grinding his teeth together to keep his real thoughts inside.

And diesel's worth the price of gold  
And it's the cheapest grain he's ever sold  
But he's still holding on

"Good," his father muttered. "Now get to work." He threw the hoe he was holding to Alex, who was lucky he played baseball.

Alex muttered to himself, "How come I have to stay in this small town anyways?"

Unfortunately his father heard him, and he turned on Alex with a scarlet face. "God-damnit Alex, if I don't you don't either!"

He just takes the tractor another round  
And pulls the plow across the ground  
And sends up another prayer  
He says Lord I never complain I never ask why  
But please don't let my dream run dry  
Underneath, Underneath this  
Amarillo sky

Alex turned and headed for the tractor without another word. He had taken a few rounds when he let his fathers words sink in.

"God," he said, "You might not be up there. I don't know. But if you are, please remember that I'm down here, and please get me out of here."

That hail storm back in '93  
Sure did take a toll on his family  
But he stayed strong and carried on  
Just like his dad and grandad did before him  
On his knees every night he prays  
Please let my crops and children grow  
Cause that's all he's ever known

Later that night at dinner his father completely ignored him. Alex made small talk with his mother about school to pass the time.  
"Well that's wonderful dear, it's so good that you have such good grades, and you're striving…" Alex tuned his mother out. His father angrily stabbed at his steak across the table, muttering to himself. Alex could only catch tidbits. "Ungrateful little…" "Even after the storm…" "Never be anything productive…" "Him and his stupid scalpels…"

Alex put his fork down and excused himself from the table.

He just takes the tractor another round  
And pulls the plow across the ground  
And sends up another prayer  
He says Lord I never complain I never ask why  
But please don't let my dream run dry  
Underneath, Underneath this  
Amarillo sky

In his room later, Alex studied for his physics exam, but listened to his parents' nightly fight. Guilt accompanied hopelessness when his mother's scream of pain and his father's stomping away were heard. Alex shook his head and sighed returning to his physics, though knowing he wouldn't be able to completely focus again.

Alex shook his head. "Not tonight."

And he takes the tractor another round  
Another round, another round  
And he takes the tractor another round  
Another round

He met his father outside on a warm Iowan night.

"What the hell do you want?" his father asked.

"I'm sick of this," Alex muttered.

"What?" His father turned on him and looked him straight in the eye.

Alex heard his mother cry for him. He took his hand and balled it into a fist, then punched his father in the jaw.

He ran inside to his mother, helped her up, then told her to pack her things. To his surprise, she didn't object, and within ten minutes the two were driving into the night.

He says I never complain I never ask why  
But please don't let my dreams run dry  
Underneath, underneath this  
Amarillo Sky  
Underneath this  
Amarillo sky

"Karev!"  
"What?" Alex turned to see Dr. Montgomery calling his name.

"Daydreaming about scalpels? Come on, get to work!"

Alex sighed and turned back to his patient. "Right. Where are you from, Mr. Leyman?"

"Castle Grove, Iowa."

Alex stopped in his tracks. "I'm from there, too."

"Oh." His patient seemed to show little interest.

"Beautiful Amarillo sky there, huh?"


End file.
